Harrison Bader News: Heading back to bench

Bader is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mariners.

Bader had started in left field in each of the Twins' last three games, but Minnesota was without super-utility man Willi Castro for two of those contests while he recovered from a sore wrist. Castro returned to the starting nine at third base in Wednesday's 2-0 win but will shift to left field for the series finale, leaving no room in the lineup for Bader. Though the right-handed-hitting Bader will likely continue to play regularly versus left-handed pitching, his opportunities against righties could become more sporadic while the Twins use Castro in the corner outfield in order to open up playing time at second base and third base for Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee, respectively.